An audacious attempt is to be made to delay the lobbying bill for three months in the Lords by putting its controversial plans for limiting the campaigning activities of charities into a special committee for detailed consideration.

The move is to be made on Tuesday by the crossbench peer Lord Ramsbotham with Labour backing, and is likely to prove a difficult test for government whips in the Lords.

The referral of part two of the bill to a special select committee would also delay consideration of other aspects of the bill.

The move would result in the part of the bill on regulating third-party campaigning to go to a special select committee until 13 February 2014.

The call for a pause is being made by an alliance of charities, thinktanks, faith groups and unions.

It is being argued that a pause would allow the government to get the bill right, and to hold the consultation it failed to hold before the bill was published.

Ministers argue that they have already made substantial concessions in the Commons to meet the fears of charities and pressure groups, who say the bill will have a chilling effect on their campaigning ahead of the general election.

Simon Barrow, the co-director the Christian thinktank Ekklesia, has warned the bill is too weak in bringing corporate lobbyists to account but unjustifiably limits the freedom of expression on charities, civil society organisations and thinktanks - restrictions that amount to gagging orders.

The House of Lords constitution committee warned "effective parliamentary scrutiny matters in relation to every bill but it is of manifest importance where legislation is of constitutional significance. The present bill directly affects the ability of people and organisations to engage with the government and to participate in political and electoral campaigning."

The committee asked whether part two was necessary.

The joint select committee on human rights also called for the bill to be paused, as did the Commons political and constitutional reform select committee.

Charities claim lowering the registration thresholds for third party organisations would impose an undue burden on small organisations, and the definitions of permitted campaigning in a general election period were wrong-headed.

The Electoral Commission has also questioned the need to lower the spending limits of charities.

Underlying the dispute is likely to be a government fear that charities tend to be left-leaning or critical of government spending cuts, and so likely to be critical of the government during an election period.

Ramsbotham has warned ministers they "must avoid giving the impression they own the voluntary sector". Lord Phillips, a Liberal Democrat, has called for a fundamental review.